Have you ever wondered why a bride carries a bridal bouquet down the aisle or why wedding rings are worn on the fourth finger? Marriages are full of age-old traditions, though many couples may not know the significance behind them.
But part of making your big day personally and uniquely yours is choosing which wedding traditions you like and would love to incorporate in your own celebrations and what you would like to skip or transform into something that truly speaks to the two of you. Whatever you decide, read on to know about the history behind some of the most common American wedding traditions.
#1 "SOMETHING OLD, SOMETHING NEW, SOMETHING BORROWED, SOMETHING BLUE"
This old wedding tradition is originated from an Old English rhyme, which includes the four good-luck items a bride should have on her special day. "Something old" describes the brides' past lives, while "something new" symbolizes couples' happy future. "Something borrowed" typically means borrowing an item for the bride that belongs to a couple who is happily married, hoping that some of their good fortunes rub off. And the "Something blue" stood for the color of fidelity and love.
#2 CARRYING A BRIDAL BOUQUET:
A bride carrying a bouquet has its roots in ancient Rome and Greece. In ancient times, brides carried flower bouquets, believing that flowers symbolized new beginnings and fertility luck. In the Middle Ages, spices and strong-smelling herbs were considered to ward off bad luck and evil spirits. However, these days the bouquet is the bride's ultimate accessory. The bride's selected blooms are a way for her to express her personal taste, style, and nature and a vital complement to her gown.
#3 WEARING A WEDDING VEIL:
The custom of wearing a wedding veil also roots back to ancient Rome, where a bride would walk down the aisle wearing a veil over her face to hide herself from any evil spirit that would ruin her wedding day. In religious ceremonies, the veil symbolizes obedience and modesty and is also seen as a sign of respect for women covering their heads. Wedding veils come in different styles and lengths, but the most popular four types are Blusher Veil, Fingertip Veil, Cathedral Veil, and Mantilla Veil.
#4 WEARING RING ON THE "FOURTH FINGER:
The tradition of wearing wedding rings on a specific finger dates back to ancient Greece, ancient Egypt, and ancient Rome. All of these cultures choose to wear their wedding rings on the left hand's fourth finger because they believe a vein connects this finger directly to the heart, which is called " the vein of love." From that time until now, this tradition has been adopted for ages as an ideal place to wear wedding rings just because of hand-heart connection.
#5 HAVING A WEDDING CAKE AND SAVING THE TOP TIER OF IT:
The wedding cake tradition also began in ancient Rome, where guests broke a piece of bread over the bride's head to represent fertility. At the same time, the guests would pick up the leftover pieces and take them home to keep them for good luck.
You may also hear of tradition saving the top tier of their wedding cake, preserving it in the freezer, and eating it together to refresh memories on the anniversary of their wedding day. It's a tradition that symbolizes prosperity and good luck for newlyweds.
Initially, when the tradition began in the 19th century, couples would save the top tier of their wedding cake to celebrate the birth of their first child. As the time went on, and the first child's birth happened further and further from the wedding date, the tradition's been slightly modified, and now it's customary for couples to store the top tier of the cake for their first wedding anniversary.
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